Is Ayurveda the Next Revolution?

Is Ayurveda the Next Revolution?

Ayurveda is the oldest form of healing the world has known and dates back over 5000 years. It is becoming more recognised in the USA but is still relatively unknown in the UK.

Ayurveda is a Sanskrit term meaning, "Ayu" or life, and "Veda" - knowledge, and is regarded as "The Science of Life" the practice involves the care of the physical, mental and spiritual health of human beings. Ayurveda is also based on sound ecological awareness taking into consideration the effects of seasonal and daily cycles of our lives.

Ancient Texts

Ayurveda also considers the place of animals, birds and plants in relation to human life. The time honoured, well tested ancient formulas of Ayurvedic medicines use natural herbs, minerals, and even gems, to cure disease and to promote immunity. The basis of Ayurveda and its influence on your health can be simplified to three fundamental principles of nature called Vata, Pitta, and Kapha these are also names for our body types or dosha. These three factors govern all our activities of mind, body, and spirit and we are all a combination of all three, one usually being more predominant than the others. For example, we could be predominantly Pitta, followed by Vata and then Kapha. When they are in balance, health is optimal. The main purpose of Ayurvedic is to establish balance in these three fundamental principles.

A short video about Ayurveda by Santa Cruz Ayurveda

Ayurveda is a unique concept of thought and practice belongs to India's most ancient Vedic lineage that goes back to Veda Vyasa. This tradition has been maintained as an unbroken chain of the spoken word from generation to generation to this day.

Ayurvedic Tradition teaches that nature's most potent medicine is inner medicine; it teaches us that we have the power to heal ourselves. Ayurvedic teachings focus on the cultivation of inner awareness and healing through everyday life that is in accord with nature's rhythms.

Rhythms of Life 

This is the way in which we integrate our lives with nature’s rhythms and cultivate a nurturing, nourishing and compassionate relationship with ourselves and all of life. The ancient Vedas tell us that we all have the capacity for wellness and that health cannot be found outside ourselves, it is our natural state of being.’

Sadhana practice creates well-being that encourages the body to heal itself through daily practice that involves every bite of food that we eat, every word that we utter, every breath that we take, every thought that we think, every choice that we make done in harmony with peaceful practices, that are from ancient Vedic knowledge.

Wholeness: Realizing the true self to be one with nature

•Simplicity: Practicing humility through surrender to nature's intelligence

•Harmony: Committing to harmony within and without

•Memory: Restoring cosmic, cognitive, and ancestral memories

•Rhythm: Honouring nature's nourishers: Food, Breath, and Sound

•Sacred Practice: Aligning every activity in accord with nature's rhythms

•Consciousness: Cultivating inner awareness and knowingness

Anyone can learn the practices and we are all aware of the way health and well-being have deteriorated in our society – when we ignore our connections to nature's rhythms the cyclical, daily, seasonal, lunar, and solar aspects of our world we ignore the potential for self-healing and profound peace. Ayurveda shows us that food, breath and sound are the three main nourishers of nature through which we can live, be well and discover the true self, these are some of the most significant tools for self-healing.

Everyday Practices

How do we do this in our everyday lives? We should always mindful of each moment. Sadhana can be practiced by simple breathing techniques, by thinking a compassionate thought, by saying a kind word, by noticing and reaching for a blade of grass, from eating healthy organic foods, taking the time to venture outdoors and sit in the sun and feeling its warmth or the wind on your face , touching the earth with bare feet. In short, Sadhana is the integral connection that keeps us forever dancing in rhythmic measure with the cosmic pulse. Our moment-to-moment awareness of this connection is the heart of Sadhana.

Understanding our body types (dosha) enables us to choose the correct practices to suit our individual problems and disease. We can learn to choose the correct foods to balance our bodies system. We can do the exercises most appropriate, use the most effective oils, and what music will most likely bring about healing for ourselves. Knowing our personal body type enables us to know the best times of day or season that we can promote well-being or have a detox or any treatment.

• Short Questionnaire.doc